


[After All] We're Actors on a Stage

by LavellanPavus (electricmindart)



Category: All Time Low, Fall Out Boy
Genre: Based on Actors by All Time Low, Engaged Couple, Fluff, Getting Together, Jealousy?, M/M, fake couples
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-09 23:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5558993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electricmindart/pseuds/LavellanPavus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex Gaskarth and Pete Wentz - happily together, engaged even. Though their management for their bands tell them to keep everything under wraps because of the "unpopularity" of the chemistry the two have. Instead, they're placed in fake couples where Alex is told to date Jack and Pete to date Patrick. But the two decide to come out as a couple - leaving the two faux boyfriends to confide in each other for comfort and perhaps fall themselves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	[After All] We're Actors on a Stage

**Author's Note:**

> Lmao this is trash and totally self-indulgence tbh

Alex sat back in his seat, shuffling nervously under the lights of the comedy club. The crowd was cheering and laughing at the jokes they told. Jack was taking over the humour as Alex let his mind drift off elsewhere. Someone in the crowd was wearing a Fall Out Boy shirt that had everyone in the band’s faces one it. It made it very easy for his mind to wander.

 

Thoughts of his fiancé filtered through into his brain from his heart. The soon-to-be Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz-Gaskarth was a beautiful thought. It made the vocalist start playing with his short, blue-purple hair while staring at the girl’s shirt. It was like she showed up for his comfort – giving a well-loved face to look at. Don’t get him wrong – Alex loved Jack, just not like he loved Pete a whole lot more; he loved him enough to say ‘Yes’ when the bassist got on one knee to pop the big question.

 

When it came to the music news, the distractions about Alex’s fiancé increased. There was a quick update on Fall Out Boy about the remix they were working on with Azealia Banks – which the crowd seemed to have mixed feelings about, giving equal parts cheers and jeers.

 

“Ooo, mixed feelings – I’m going to have to report this to Peter.” Alex said in a teasing tone, letting his lips stretch into a wide grin at the ability to mention having contacts with Pete for once. It was short-lived, Jack having sent him a look that seemed to wordlessly say to calm down and not give anything away; as far as the fans are concerned, Jack is the one who’s dating Alex. They were fine with that fact too, really loving the two together.

 

Alex had found it ridiculous that their management had made him date Jack for show as Fall Out Boy’s management did for Pete with Patrick. Just because Alex was 28 and Pete was 36 it was “bad for publicity” or so they said. The two acts alone were very popular and even shared most of a fanbase. Coming out as a couple would most likely draw in people more, to Alex’s logic and thinking. Either way, thinking aside, they were separated for the fans.

 

After the live show of Full Frontal was over, a few fans asked Jack and Alex to do their usual couple poses where they linked hands, kissed cheeks, stared into each other’s eyes, and occasionally shared a few kisses. None of them which Alex wanted, all of them which Jack did.

 

Behind the comedy club in a different area to the dumpster Jack complained about smelling, Alex pulled out his phone and began dialing a familiar numbers in a certain order he’d come to memorize oh so well as his fiancé’s phone number.

 

“Hello?” Pete’s tired voice rang through the speaker of the phone, causing a huge smile to light up Alex’s features. Goddamn he missed that golden voice.

 

“Pete Wentz? This is your number one fan in the whole universe.” He joked, smirking now as he heard that glorious laugh from the other end. “I’m calling to confess my undying love for you and the lyrics you write – you’re a genius!”

 

“Alex, you dork, I love you too. What’s going on? How was the show?”

 

The two chatted idly, often squeezing in unnecessary flirts and compliments. Many comments were made about how the two had missed each other dearly, how they loved to hear each other’s voices over the phone on the occasion both Fall Out Boy and All Time Low were on separate tours.

 

It took an hour of talking for Alex realized he had to hang up to make it to the bus before it started moving in fifteen minutes. Goodbyes exchanged, the young frontman hung up and ran to the All Time Low bus, taking his seat on the front lounge’s couch next to Jack.

 

"Hey Alex." Jack greeted, pushing himself closer. "Just came back from talking to Pete?"

 

"Yeah. Oh man, I missed his voice so badly, Jack. I love him so much."

 

"You know, you could do better than Pete Wentz. Say... a guitarist-"

 

"Patrick? He's not interested and neither am I."

 

"No - someone who knows you better than-"

 

Alex blinked. "Pete."

 

Jack groaned. Suddenly he snapped. "Me, Alex! No one knows you better than I do! I've been your best fucking friend since the eighth grade - of course I'd know you better than anyone else in the whole damn world..." He sighed, calming from  his sudden outburst. "I-I don't do the whole 'Jalex' thing for show. I am actually in love with you, Alex. I love you and I'd do anything to have you as more than an accessory for the press."

The older man blinked and suddenly felt the other's lips on his in a desperate kiss.

 

_Oh Hell no._

 

Offended that his friend would kiss an engaged man, Alex shoved Jack off of him and stormed to his bunk with his phone in hand. He's had enough, he's done hiding and lying, the fans need to know the truth. He isn't in love with Jack - he's in love with _Pete._ And no one can change his mind about opening Twitter and tagging his fiancé in a coming out Tweet. He took a deep breath, thumbs touching the correct keys he wanted to type and then 'Tweet' before he could stop to think about the possible consequences doing this could have. He looked it over.

 

 

 **Alexander William** _@AlexAllTimeLow_

Jalex was never real, guys. I've been engaged to _@petewentz_ this whole time instead. I swear this is true. I love Pete Wentz.

 

 

Alex couldn't bear to see the responses, he immediately shut off his phone for the night and decided to catch some sleep. It would be a long bus ride and probably an even longer day of dealing with comments, remarks, questions, and backlash about the truth being said.

 

**-=+=-**

 

Pete groaned, rolling on his back and looking at the notification his phone gave. He felt his heart thump in his throat as he saw what Alex had said. It felt only right to respond in a similar light. Sure he was fatigued and uneasy and halfway to paranoia at this time of night - but he was relieved to see they could finally be open about themselves to their fan bases.

 

 

 **t(-.-t)** _@petewentz_

 _@AlexAllTimeLow_ I love you too, babe. Can't wait for the end of tour so we can have that wedding!

 

 

A groan in a separate bunk signaled someone was still awake and Pete knew exactly who it was.

 

“Patrick, go back to sleep and stop eavesdropping on me.” The bassist called quietly, voice hoarse with sleep.

 

“Pete – I have to get something off of my chest.” Patrick blurted out of nowhere. "And it's serious."

 

"Tell me, 'Trick. While I'm still awake enough to think."

 

"I don't do this for show. I do love you. Please don't make me have to give you up. I can't do it. I truthfully love you, Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz the third and I want you all to myself. No sharing with Alex or anyone."

 

"It's too late, Patrick. We're out. Alex and I are sharing the love we have with the fans in the way we're telling them too. They deserve to know."

 

"Fine."

 

**-=+=-**

 

The following month, the Fall Out Boy tour and the All Time Low tour ended. There were loads of fans who had supported Alex and Pete, relishing in the photos taken of the wedding. There was one of the two looking into each other's eyes while their hands clasped tightly together. It was obvious they were just reaching their "I do"s by the curled 'o' shape of Alex's lips and the smile on Pete's. The next photo was of their bodies pressed together like perfect puzzle pieces - lips locked just as they were told "You may now kiss the groom" by the man hidden behind the happy couple. The third photo of them was styled as a polaroid - their first dance. There were two of these, but one of their body language and the other of the loving look between them.

 

However, Jack and Patrick were not at the wedding. They were sulking together about the fact that their faux boyfriends never wanted to actually be with them. So the shorter male invited the guitarist to talk about their shared for the wedding. "So." Patrick had started talking when Jack was over at his home. "Isn't this the absolute worst day for us?"

 

Jack nodded, snorting, "You said it."

 

"Why did they have to leave us, Jack? I could have made Pete happy. You could have made Alex happy."

 

"I guess... I'm starting to realize whatever makes Alex happy makes me happy. I like his smile. No matter who's causing it." Jack said slowly, looking down to Patrick. "Do you feel like that about Pete?"

 

 _There is something about this kid_ , Patrick thought to himself while staring up into the warm coffee brown eyes, _that makes him smarter than he comes off. Behind all the wrong answers on Full Frontal, the stupid remarks and juvenile humour, the bad choices and horribly rock star attitude is a wise man. Smarter than anyone would give him credit for._

 

Except for Patrick.

 

"Jack... do you... do you want to go get coffee with me?" He tried, hoping it would go well.

 

"Are you asking me out on a date?" The younger man asked, eyebrow raised as if to say a silent 'Caught you' to him.

 

"If you want to see it like that-"

 

Jack cut him off by pecking his lips. "Let's hit up Starbucks." He said softly, taking Patrick's hand in his own and exiting the home for the nearest Starbucks.


End file.
